Nuts and Bolts: Have a Drink!

The number one all time absolute best tip for anyone trying to improve their health is...drink water.  


Seriously.


About a month ago I happened to overhear a conversation at the YMCA where a woman half heartedly lamented to a trainer that she had been working out for a year but only shed a pound and a half.  This statement caught my attention big time and all sorts of things rolled through my mind.  The trainer took the comment in stride and began quizzing the member on a few basic habits.  I don't remember the exact exchange so I'll paraphrase:


Trainer: "Are you drinking enough water?
Member: "Oh, no. I don't drink very much water."
Trainer: "You might consider increasing the amount of water you are drinking.  It helps your body to flush out all the bad stuff."
Member: "Well I'm not too worried because I don't abuse my liver..."


I think my mouth fell open a bit when I heard that last bit.  "I don't abuse my liver."  I started thinking about all the things that go into my body that my organs have to sift out and expel because they are of no use or potentially harmfull to my health.  Air pollution, pesticides on food, chemical additives, alcohol and caffeine, and many more things go through our bodies on a near daily basis whether we knowingly ingest them or not.

I try to stay well hydrated and have gotten pretty sensitive to the need to drink water throughout the day.  Our family stash of water bottles is pretty impressive and we make sure to keep at least one per person full and handy both around the house and when we are out and about.  Drinking water helps me feel better physically and I know it helps me to function better.  Staying hydrated helps my body eliminate waste more efficiently, keeps my skin in better condition, gives me more energy, helps me better identify the difference between hunger and thirst, and reduces some cravings.  It just makes sense to me to drink plenty of water.

I have heard many people say they just can't bring themselves to choose water.  It is too plain or boring or they are addicted to diet soda and just don't drink anything else.  I would like to be sensitive and not make a wise crack about asking people who have to hike for clean water if it is plain and boring (whoops!).  I'll offer instead an article to start.  Water: How much should you drink everyday? by Mayo Clinic Staff on the Mayo Clinic website.  I thought this was a pretty good basic look at why staying hydrated is good for our bodies and makes some recommendations about what we really ought to be drinking on a daily basis.


One of my favorite notes from the article; "Although it's a great idea to keep water within reach at all times, you don't need to rely only on what you drink to meet your fluid needs. What you eat also provides a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake. For example, many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and tomatoes, are 90 percent or more water by weight."  Notice when the authors say "food" they are talking specifically about fruits and vegetables.

Pretty much all fluids are going to contribute to increasing hydration but I would encourage people to consider making it a goal to reach for water most often.


And it doesn't have to be plain and boring...

• Make a pitcher of water that has slices of favorite fruits or vegetables (washed) floating in it.  Things like cucumber, citrus, mint leaves, or summer berries all make great subtle flavorings.  Punch it up even more by using carbonated water, like seltzer, instead of plain water.
• Look for zero calorie powdered mixes to add to a pitcher of water.  Crystal Lite or other similar products taste more like juice.  Different brands use different artificial or natural sweeteners so check the labels if you are concerned.
• In addition to plain carbonated water there are various brands of flavored seltzers on the market.  Again make sure the label shows zero calories.  In citrus or berry flavors these can be a great alternative to diet soda.

Don't get me wrong.  On any given day I might drink a cup of more of coffee, a latte, a diet soda, or a number of other non water beverages but water is always my primary source of hydration.

Encouragement From My Past Self

This week I am working on putting together my Nuts and Bolts series.  Part of my process has been to think back to the early days of weight loss and the tools I found most useful.  I rediscovered a few posts I wrote for a blog that didn't get off the ground a few years ago.  Those posts, from January 2009, are a great reminder of what I was feeling a few months into the journey.  Below is one of those posts. I hope you enjoy this little trip in the, not so, Way Back Machine.

Unexpected Motivation

So my husband and I have been losing weight together on Weight Watchers since the end of August and as I was telling someone last night our names would be in literature with a * after them. *Results Not Typical. Losing weight has been a wonderful gift to give myself everyday since we started. I feel like I have reached a point where I can finally see results in myself. People have been telling me that I look different for awhile but I can finally see it for myself when I look in the mirror. We have been mastering eating within our points and exploring how to make the foods we love healthy and delicious. I cook he cleans and we get better every day! 

For Christmas we "exchanged" pedometers and I think it was just the thing I needed to catapult me to the next level. I find myself keeping close tabs on the numbers of steps I have taken throughout the day. Last weekend we were out and about on Sunday and I got up to over 9300 steps. I was so excited because it had been a busy day but I hadn't built in any specific exercise. At home I have figured out that due to the rectangular layout of our house I can go from one end to the other five or six times and get 300 steps in just a few minutes - during a commercial break no less. The more I find ways to build steps into my day the more I am motivated to look for even more. 

I have been working in the same building for two and a half years and for the first time it occurred to me that while we only occupy the ground floor there are 5 flights of stairs that I have easy access to when ever I want. So Monday I was having a rough time focusing and decided to go get a little exercise in to help my brain. Up those stairs I trot! I was breathing heavily by the time I got to the top but it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. On the way down I stopped on the parking garage level and did a lap around the small garage. Back at my desk I felt pretty pleased. The next day I popped my lean cuisine into the microwave and rather than standing there for 4 and a half minutes watching it spin around slowly I popped out to the stairs again. This time I went up and did a couple of laps in the parking lot and was back before the microwave finished. How cool is that? Well I think it is cool. 

Today I saw that it wasn't raining so I grabbed my iPod and scooted out the door. I was so excited to be getting out to walk around the neighborhood (we have recently been snow bound so I think I am still recovering from cabin fever). It was cold and damp but I kept a comfortable brisk pace and due to a misjudgment in my route I covered just over a mile! I was sad to have to go back even though it had begun raining again. I have this energy bursting out of me and it feels incredible. 

For the past couple of years I have had to deal with minor to moderate SAD in the winter so it is such a relief to be motivated to do anything let alone go charging up and down 5 flights of stairs on a whim. I do think my pedometer is helping because it is a concrete gauge that I am getting up and moving more. The more I move the more I move it is a wondrous feeling that I never thought I would have. I just pray that this is the beginning of something I will get to experience for a long time to come.

If you would like the read the other posts there are a few more at http://roseslittleblog.blogspot.com/

He Made it to Goal! A Guest Post by "Mr. Second Helpings"

Dear Readers, I have often mentioned my husband and our mutual weight loss success.  On Monday he weighed in at his Weight Watchers goal weight.  Here is his story, in his own words...

Reflections on my Journey

On Monday (December 26th) I gave myself a great late Christmas present. At our weekly Weight Watcher’s meeting, the scale read 199.6 pounds; I had reached my WW goal! Rose had asked me some time ago if I would write a guest post when I got here. I’m not a blogger, so I’m definitely feeling out of my element writing this.  Here goes...

Regular readers of Our Lady will already know much of our story. Three and a half years ago, Rose and I were both extremely overweight. We didn’t have a healthy lifestyle. Much of our food came from restaurants where we would clean our plates. Snacks would usually be sugary sweets. We didn’t - couldn’t - do much of anything that required physical exertion.

June 2008

Rose had brought up dieting several times, but I was reticent to do anything about it. It’s kind of difficult at this point to understand why. I think the biggest part was low self-esteem; I just wasn’t worth working hard for myself. I had in the past dieted, and even lost significant weight, but I hadn’t kept it off. It seemed like my body just wanted to be fat.

At the same time, we were talking seriously about starting our family. I wanted to have children, but the thought of chasing after a toddler or just playing on the floor was frightening to me.

“Change will only happen when the pain to stay the same is greater than the pain to change.”

I might modify the saying to include “the perceived pain to change.” Occasionally we commit to doing something, discover that it is harder than we thought, and persevere to reach a sense of accomplishment. Frequently we avoid something because we fear it to be more difficult than the reality, and ultimately regret not doing it earlier.

Rose finally said that she was going to join Weight Watchers. She pleaded for me to join her, but would do it without me. I could see that Rose really wanted to do something about her weight and mine. She was in pain, and she needed my support.

I knew that if we did have children, they would need me to be active in their lives.

Finally, I needed to do something, and I didn’t have any better ideas.

It was difficult for me to say yes, but at that point, it would have been even more difficult to say no.

Losing weight was not as difficult as I thought it would be.

Not to say that losing weight was easy. But once I had committed, I discovered that many of the tools I needed were readily available. Also, I didn’t have to change everything all at once.

At about the same time, I had a reassignment to a work location with terrible parking. After I rode the company-provided shuttle bus on the first day, I chose instead to walk the 15-to-20 minutes from my car to my desk in the morning, and again in the afternoon. I didn’t enjoy the walking, but I knew I needed to do it and now that I am back in an office with great parking, I miss it!

July 2009, enjoying an afternoon of hiking and playing outside.

Rose has been an amazing partner along the way. I’m not much of a cook, so I have depended very much on her to plan and prepare healthy meals. I love that she has been adventurous, and have discovered many foods that I would have avoided previously. (Tofu, anyone?) I hope she inspires you to try new things!

As we have progressed, we have needed to up the game to keep going. We have done a handful of 30-day challenges. For example, we both enjoy lattes. We would drink them on a near daily basis, which cost us additional calories and cash. We challenged ourselves to no lattes for 30 days. I made up for it by making a fresh pot of drip before leaving the house. After the month was up, we both broke the habit, and a latte is now an occasional treat - which is even more enjoyable.

A lifetime of healthy living!

Our big secret is that the changes we have made over the past few years are sustainable. They have become new habits, and have redefined “normal” for us. We make a conscious selection of healthy, balanced meals. When we make our own food, we don’t put more on our plate than we need; if we are dining out, we don’t have a compulsion to clean the plate. Physical activities are part of most every day.

Keeping up with our toddler!

Reaching my Weight Watchers goal, this last week in particular, put an underline on the importance of these good habits. In the four days prior to weigh-in, I had been to four different parties. I ate delicious foods, drank beer and wine, and enjoyed a variety of treats! Meanwhile, I was keeping an awareness of eating balanced meals, and stopping when I was full. (Well, maybe one more cookie...) Simply not gaining weight would have been an achievement! Losing weight in such a week is incredible, especially to myself.

Birthday Celebration!

Rose was very puzzled by my subdued reaction to the weigh-in. While this milestone has been met, I do not feel like I am “done”. I still want to lose 20 more pounds for my personal target, and be more muscular as well. I want to keep learning and keep healthy every day for the rest of my life. I want to do this with Rose by my side!

December 2011, down 167 pounds and feeling more confident than ever!

Feeding My Mind Changed My Body

I have one body and it is mine to care for.  My parents were responsible for my first years, but it was their role to teach me how to care for my body myself.  When I entered my teen years, my parents began to fully release their control over my body and I was able to begin calling all the shots.  I chose everything about my body.  Fashion successes or missteps were mine alone to make and any piercings, tattoos, nail polish, or other forms of self expression were up to me.  I certainly had my fair share of bold hair and wardrobe statements.

I also get to choose what I put into my body.  My food choices are a large part of feeding my body.  If I want my body to work to the best of its ability I need to put quality fuel in it.  I drive a car that requires premium-grade gasoline and because I want it to run great for a long time I fill up accordingly.  I could fill my gas tank with regular-grade fuel but I could not ask my car to run as well for as long if I did.  My body, like my car, requires premium-grade fuel.  

My mind also requires premium-grade fuel.  It is as important for my mind to be fed well as my body.  The television I watch, the things I read, and the people I surround myself with are all important parts of my mental nutrition.  I also need to make sure that I am telling myself nutritious things.  

I feel very lucky to have spent several years as a Mary Kay consultant.  During my time in the company I was surrounded by positive messages.  Mary Kay Ash, the company founder, was a beautiful speaker and wrapped big ideas in inspirational little packages, like this one, Those who are blessed with the most talent don't necessarily outperform everyone else. It's the people with follow-through who excel. Surrounding myself with this constant stream of positive messages and women cheering each other on were vitamins for my soul.  The other side of the Mary Kay coin is a strong work ethic.  There is no beating around the bush that people who are successful put in the hours.  Hard work will be rewarded but you have to do it. I do not think it is a coincidence that I joined Weight Watchers two years after becoming a Mary Kay consultant. 

In July of 2008 I was able to visit the Mary Kay Corporate Headquarters in Dallas, TX and attend the annual Seminar.  Many people told me the experience would be life changing and it was, just not the way I expected.

Posing outside of Mary Kay Ash's personal office.
We joined Weight Watchers less than a month after this photo was taken.

For a long time, I made excuses about why I didn't need to treat my body with the respect it deserves.  Being uncomfortable and tired makes it seem easier to remain stagnent than to make any changes.  Without realizing what was happening, I changed my mental diet long before changing my physical diet.  I found role models that inspired me to want more.  I was able to hear how they pick themselves up when they failed and keep looking forward to the bigger prizes to keep motivated.


Click Here to see more motivational Mary Kay Ash quotes.  What are some of your favorite quotes to lift your spirit and feed your mind?

Coming Soon!

During the month of January I am going to launch a series of posts I am calling "Nuts and Bolts."  These posts will center around the tools and tricks I learned in my early days of losing weight.  I promise to share both what worked and what didn't so you can learn from (and laugh at) my experiences.  I hope to show how my journey has been about adopting small changes one at a time.  I also hope to help provide a little bit of a road map to turn those earnest New Years resolutions everyone is about to make, into sustainable actions. 

Be, Do, Have

Have you ever seen this image?  I hadn't before Monday when our Weight Watchers leader drew it on the board.  Now I have to admit my attention was divided between what she was sharing and my son throwing cereal on the floor so I may have missed some key points, but, let me give it a whirl.

After a quick internet search I discovered the "Be Do Have" model is used in many different self improvement arenas.  Basically the point is to visualize what or who you would like to be, do the things that person would do and have the results that person would have.  I think it is a really neat tool.

Isn't it easy to sit around and think about who we could be if only we could have different things.  We would have more money if we had a different job, we would go more places if only we had a better car, we would be tidier if only we had a nicer house to keep clean or we would wear nicer clothes if we had a better body to dress.  If only we had these or any number of other things, then we could finally stop rushing and fighting with life and just be happy.

Remember when all the buzz was about "The Secret"?  Just tell the universe what you want and if you really want it things will begin to go your way.  There was a scene in the movie where one of the narrators talks about going to the mailbox day after day only to have more bills appear.  He started to visualize money and suddenly there were checks and no bills.  Here is my conclusion.  While this person was telling "the universe" what he wanted he was thinking more about what he wanted to become and started to act like that person.  I think he may have been a writer.  He probably started sending out articles, meeting with publishers, revamping previous projects and low and behold it began to yield results!  I don't doubt that he was working before the visualization but when he started thinking about how to have money by being a writer he began to do more about it.

The real secret is action with a goal.

You can spend a day, week or year visualizing and telling the universe whatever you want but unless you get up and take action it is highly unlikely any amazing change will come into your life.  (I never say never though, just in case)  You can also be going and going trying to do things that you are supposed to but if you don't know what your goal is all your efforts may wind up being a lot of wasted energy.

Bringing the idea back to diet and exercise.

At the same Weight Watchers meeting my husband shared that he feels like he holds himself back because he wants to have all the right gear or gadgets before he can engage in an activity.  This seems to me like a common trap.  Do you need to have running shoes to be a runner, a roasting pan to cook a chicken, a nicer car to be on time to work or your dream house to pick out furniture you love?  Imagine for a moment that you will never have the thing you think you need.  Think about it.  Now what?

I am absolutely guilty of this behavior myself.  When I started going to the YMCA on a regular basis I really wanted to say that I couldn't get in a good workout because my sweats were not right and my shoes were worn out.  Then I stopped and thought about how dumb that would sound to me if I heard someone else say these things.  So I started working out and after a few weeks I did begin to upgrade my athletic gear but only after I built a habit of going to the gym.  It turned out getting started just took me making the effort and following through again and again.  My shoes were fine and my baggy sweats still allowed me full range of motion on the equipment.

I do not disagree that some activities require specific tools.  If you have a boat but no oars it would not be wise to push out into a lake.  My point is if you look out the window and think, "it's a beautiful day to be out on a boat, but I have no boat," it will still be a beautiful day and you can still spend time outside.

Here's the flip side to the coin.  Raise your hand if you or someone you know owns exercise equipment.  Keep your hand raised if the equipment is used as an extension of your closet or a layer of dust on it.  I am guessing there are a large number of hands raised.  We have a treadmill and I actually use it, occasionally.  See the thing is just having things does not get me any closer to my goal.  I have to be in the mindset of using the treadmill.  I really enjoy going to the Y so when I use the treadmill I feel like I am cheating on the gym.  (please don't tell me I am alone in my wackiness)  When I don't use the gym or the treadmill neither is doing me any good.

The visual of the triangle will be really helpful to me.  As I make choices and changes I can set a goal to be different, imagine what I would like to have, and plan what I need to do to achieve the goal.  Simple and hopefully effective.

Shoot for the moon if only to land among the stars

I have reached the end of the month and it is time for the official numbers on my goal of losing 8 pounds.

Week 1 - I tracked my eating, got some exercise and when I weighed in I had gained a pound.  Much stomping ensued.  I complained that things were not going the way I wanted and how unfair it was that after a full week of following the 'rules' I was punished with a weight gain.  After about 15 minutes I realized my heart wasn't really in the complaining and focused my attention on the next week.

Week 2 - I tracked a bit better than the first week.  I really paid attention to portion size and was honest with myself about the food going into my mouth.  I took advantage of opportunities to get in some activity and time to play.  I felt really good and things were really clicking.  When I weighed in I was down 1.2 pounds.  Hooray!  Now, a result I can get excited about.

Week 3 - The summer weather was finally heating up the Pacific Northwest and I played outside with my son most days.  We did some gardening, running around, and at the end of the week we went to the mountains to hike with family and have a great time in nature.  I tracked most of the week but over the weekend I just watched my portions and made healthy choices.  I did have one incredible indulgence, a gigantic scoop of lemon meringue pie ice cream in a waffle cone!  I hadn't had real full fat ice cream in a very long time.  It was out of this world a-mazing.  I did share a few licks with my son but most of it was ALL MINE.  The ice cream was the 'reward' at the end of our hike.  I did worry a little that I was more than compensating for any calories burned going up the mountain, but, I still ate it; with relish.  That week I weighed 2.2 pounds less (after the ice cream).

Week 4 - After taking the weekend off of tracking I found it difficult to get back in the swing of faithfully recording what I ate.  I did make sure to measure my portions and focus on healthy choices as well as not eating if I wasn't hungry.  Sunday our family went to a local farmer's market and stocked up on a variety of local organic produce that I look forward to utilizing this week.  After our shopping we stopped into a sandwich shop across the street that is well know in the city.  I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  We had some terrific sandwiches on homemade baguettes.  They were very substantial and I could only eat half but it felt like a real treat.  Last night when I weighed in I was down another .8 pounds.

So for those of you playing at home we have +1 - 1.2 - 2.2 - .8 for a grand total of -3.2 pounds lost!

I realize this is less than half of my goal to lose 8 pounds in a month, but, as far as I am concerned I shot for the moon and landed in the stars.  Over the course of the last month I have noticed my pants fitting looser, shirts that hugged my body are hanging a bit, and my brain feels much more engaged.  I have been cooking more at home to have a better awareness of what I am eating.  I really enjoy cooking and playing with my food.  Cooking at home also saves us money and not only takes care of dinner but generally covers lunch the next day too.

When I exercise control over my diet I feel better equipped to handle other areas of my life.  I find that I have more energy to plan projects and go on adventures.  I trade in a ho-hum attitude for one of, 'let's see where this day takes us!'

Now I am less than 5 pounds from taking my wedding ring to be resized and ceasing to pay Weight Watchers.  Can I get there by the end of September?  Watch me!

Week 1: We went to a local blueberry farm and picked enough to fill a bucket and to add to our freezer stash of summer berries.

Week 2: We met our friends at the zoo and had a great time watching the animals and running around.

Week 3: A view from the trail while on a day hike in the North Cascades to Lake Dorothy.  This is also the day of the amazing ice cream.

Goal Progress Update

I have no big news to report.  Since my great declaration I have progressed .2 pounds toward my goal.  I will say, however, that in general I feel good.  I have been much more mindful about what is going in my mouth than I have for several months.  I also find myself looking for more ways to be active.  I know all of these tweaks are going to add up to the big payoff that I am looking for.


I can't deny how far I have come.  I rearranged our closet last week and just for kicks I pulled out my wedding dress.  It is now so big on me that I couldn't wrap it tight enough to look fitted.  I just sort of stared at my reflection for awhile.  When I bought it the dress was my favorite of the dresses that came in the store's largest size.  


On weeks when the scale hasn't gone the way I hoped I can still embrace non scale milestones.  I wear smaller sizes, have greater mobility, and I feel so much more comfortable in my skin.  When all is said and done I can not live by the number on the scale, my eyes are on a much bigger prize.  I want to be healthy, live longer, play with my son and squeeze all the juice out of this life I have been given.

Approaching a Milestone

I am within 8 pounds of my Weight Watchers goal weight - 8 POUNDS!!  This is a milestone that three years ago I couldn't even let myself think about.  If I thought too much about what life was going to be like when I lost over 100 pounds I would have frozen up.  Along the way I have just looked to the next smaller goal in order to keep my momentum up.  Now my small goal has merged into one of my great big over arching major goals and, whew! This is going to take some real mind over matter work.  I don't want to get this close and come up short, no I am in this to win it!


When I hit this goal a few really cool things will happen.  The first is I will begin the six week clock toward not paying Weight Watchers anymore.  I am very much looking forward to seeing that line item on my bank statement once a month.  I have zero regrets about joining, this program may have saved my life BUT it has been three years and I am ready to graduate.  The second cool thing will be taking my wedding and engagement rings to be resized.  Not long into our weight loss both my husband and I became unable to wear our rings.  We decided to wait to have them resized so that we only did it once.  This is partly to reduce the stress on the metal and mostly because we wanted to have something really special to mark the completion of our journey together.  I was able to wear my rings for the end of my pregnancy (thank you water retention) but I am very much looking forward to having them back on my finger permanently.


So here is what I am doing to help me stay the course and hit this one out of the park.  I have committed to - wait for it - actually following the Weight Watcher's plan for the entire month of August.  If it goes in my mouth I am logging it.  By committing to logging my food I am also breaking everyday down into a measurable opportunity to succeed.  Knowing that I am most likely to overeat when I am bored or tired I am keeping a list of activities to engage in during down time and giving myself permission to rest while my son is napping.  I have a sign on the fridge to remind myself of how close I am to my next milestone to help me stay on track.  Finally I am going to make an extra effort to move this month, my house may wind up cleaner than it has been in a long time!


Watch this space for updates.  It would be so sweet to accomplish this goal by the end of the month in time for the three year anniversary of beginning this journey.

I Forgive Me (and you)

Sometimes we just need to hear it from someone else before we can say it to ourselves.  I forgive you.  Whatever it is that happened that has caused you to stop treating yourself in a healthy way, I forgive you.


The other day in a moment of midday weakness I ate more ice cream than I intended.  It doesn't matter if it was a bite more or a carton more.  After I caught myself and put it away I had a choice to make, do I let this moment derail me for the rest of the day, week or month OR do I forgive my indiscretion and take back the control that I just lost?


I frequently hear people lamenting their ability to loose weight and get healthy.  The common refrain is, "I'll just start again (day of the week)" or "I am waiting until after (life event)."  I have learned that starting again has to be immediate.  If I shrug my shoulders and adopt a 'who cares' attitude I am the one who has to deal with it later.  I do make mistakes - regularly.  Success isn't never failing it is never getting back up and continuing.  When I accept my short comings, take a deep breath, and figure out how to move forward, then, I really feel like a winner.


The afternoon with the ice cream I had to first get involved with a task that would keep both my brain and hands occupied.  I find myself drawn to overeating most often when I am bored or tired.  Those times can lead me to wallowing both emotionally and physically.  Activity is my best cure for wallowing.  If I get up and engage in something I usually perk up and stop fixating on what is in my fridge.  Once I have perked up it is easier to plan the rest of my day around my slip up.  Additionally if I stop and think about it I often haven't messed up that badly.  I also never punish myself by skipping dinner and only eating carrot sticks for the rest of the day.  Self punishment isn't going to help me achieve my long term goals anymore than letting myself wallow.


Don't wait to be good to yourself and don't use your slips as proof that you are incapable of changing your situation.  Take those moments as an opportunity to learn, grow, and be victorious over whatever obstacles you might be facing.  You have what it takes to get where you want to go, so, start now.

A Bit About The Author

I never was a dieter; maybe I should have been.  I held on to the teaching that dieting was ultimately bad for you and having yo-yoing weight was not a healthy way to live.  I tried the odd diet here and there but mostly used the message as permission to remain obese.  Psychologically, I don't know what buried issues caused me to gain weight or to maintain an unhealthy lifestyle.  I was probably around seven years old when I began edging beyond the curve for my age and height.  Obesity became a part of my identity, first as a fat kid and ultimately a fat person.  

It wasn't until the summer of 2008, that I had enough and I announced to my husband that I was going to join Weight Watchers.  He asked if it was going to become one of those things that we paid for but never used.  Since I didn't know the answer to his question (and really, how could I?), I dropped it for a couple of weeks to let the idea roll around in my head a bit longer.

Finally, I decided that it didn't matter what might happen—I had to do something.  I was sitting there clinically obese, 60 pounds heavier than the day we met 3 1/2 years before.  I was 26 pounds above the weight, 8 years before, I swore I would never be again.  Most importantly I was incredibly uncomfortable in my skin.  When I announced my intention again he said something that proved to be the greatest gift he could give to both of us: "I'll do it with you."

We found the nearest Weight Watchers meeting place and the most convenient time.  The following Monday after work we walked in, with no expectations, to see what the program was all about.  I don't remember the topic of that first meeting.  My nerves turned it all into a rush of white noise.  Afterward we heard the introductory information with all the nuts and bolts.  There was a lot to take in but it seemed straight forward enough.  On the way home we stopped and had a couple of baby-sized burritos and tortilla chips at a local taco place, BUT the next morning we woke up and began following the points program, tracking everything that we ate.

Our lives changed after that.  The weight began falling off as we emerged from our fat coma.  Monday night has become sacred in our house and going to the weekly meeting is now a family event as our toddler goes with us.  To date we have collectively shed over 260 pounds and continue to move toward our goal weights.

I didn't know I had begun a journey until others pointed it out to me.  All I know is that with each small step, life has become vibrant in a way it never was before.  Sometimes I just sit and marvel over all of the small changes, things I never expected when I dreamed about being a healthier person.  Now I can sit on the floor and play with my son without loosing feeling in my legs within the first few minutes, I am able to tie my shoes without feeling like I might pass out, and I can try on clothes off the rack in most stores.  It is such a rush to take an arm load of clothes into a department store dressing room and choose to buy the items I like best not just the couple that fit.  One of my favorite changes is hugging my husband.  When we were at our highest weight we couldn't reach our arms around each other.  Now just to be able to stop and give each other a proper hug is magical.

As this blog continues, I plan to include more of my story, particularly things that happened during the first six months of our new life.  My humble wish is that through sharing how I took things slowly, made mistakes, and learned about myself and food, others will find some hope that change is possible.  It is not about suddenly turning your life upside down and instantly becoming a whole new person.  I have learned how to make different choices one at a time, moment by moment.